Oyster River

Two Oyster River Teachers Recognized for Commitment to Education, Student Success

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Oyster River Cooperative School District
SAU No. 5
Superintendent James Morse
36 Coe Drive
Durham, NH 03824

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Two Oyster River Teachers Recognized for Commitment to Education, Student Success

DURHAM – Superintendent James Morse is pleased to share that an Oyster River Cooperative School District educator has been awarded the Fitzwater Medallion for Contributions to the Public Discourse, and a second is a semifinalist to be the New Hampshire Teacher of the Year.

Oyster River Cooperative High School English teacher Shawn Kelly is the winner of the Fitzwater Medallion for Contributions to the Public Discourse, an award given annually at Franklin Pierce University to a journalism teacher to recognize his or her efforts to support student media.

The award recognizes Kelly’s work with students on “Mouth of the River,” the Oyster River High School student magazine.

“Shawn’s work with students through the magazine is remarkable, and has allowed students to get their first taste of public discourse,” Superintendent Morse said. “It’s great to see him recognized for this work with such an honor.”

Kelly will be recognized among other 2019 Fitzwater Honors recipients at the Spagnuolo Hall at the Rindge Campus at Franklin Pierce University on Thursday, April 18.

Another Oyster River High School educator, French teacher Barbara Milliken, is a semifinalist to be New Hampshire Teacher of the year.

Finalists for the honor will be announced in June, after educators and their colleagues, students and parents, and supervisors are interviewed and site visits are performed to the their schools. The 2020 New Hampshire Teacher of the Year will be announced in September.

“New Hampshire Teacher of the Year is a a significant honor, and to be a semifinalist speaks volumes about Barbara’s dedication to the field of education,” Superintendent Morse said. “We are fortunate to have such exemplary educators here at Oyster River, who are so dedicated to their classrooms and students.”

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Oyster River Middle School Students Receive National Scholastic Writing Medals

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Oyster River Cooperative School District
SAU No. 5
Superintendent James Morse
36 Coe Drive
Durham, NH 03824

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Oyster River Middle School Students Receive National Scholastic Writing Medals

From left: Oyster River Middle School eighth grade students Julia Kinsey, Ava Gruner, and Sophie Meyer have each been awarded medals in the 2019 National Scholastic Writing Awards. (Courtesy Photo Oyster River Cooperative School District).

DURHAM – Superintendent James Morse is pleased to announce that three Oyster River Middle School students have been awarded medals for their submissions to the National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.

Eighth grade students Julia Kinsey, Ava Gruner, and Sophie Meyer were each awarded Gold Keys for their writing submissions to the New Hampshire Scholastic Writing Awards earlier this school year. After being awarded Gold Keys, their writing was submitted to the National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.

The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards annually recognize middle and high school students from across the United States for their exceptional art and writing work, and offers students the opportunity to have their submissions publicly displayed and published.

Meyer has been awarded a Gold Medal at the national level for her poem, titled “Tallying the Dead.” She has also been invited to Carnegie Hall in New York City to participate in the awards ceremonies for all Gold Medal National Award winners later this year.

Kinsey has been awarded a Silver Medal at the national level for her collection of poetry about refugee children fleeing Syria, titled “One Last Word: The Children of War.”

For her personal narrative, titled “Taken by the Wind,” Gruner has also been awarded a Silver Medal at the national level.

“The National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards recognize the most exemplary student submissions from across the country, and it’s wonderful to see these three students honored by these medals,” Superintendent Morse said. “Each of their submissions reflects their originality, creativity, and writing talents, and I congratulate them on their success.”

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Oyster River School Renovation Projects Feature Safety Improvements

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Oyster River Cooperative School District
SAU No. 5
Superintendent James Morse
36 Coe Drive
Durham, NH 03824

For Immediate Release

Monday, April 1, 2019

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Oyster River School Renovation Projects Feature Safety Improvements and Enhanced Classroom Space

DURHAM – Superintendent James Morse is pleased to share that Oyster River Cooperative School District has completed a building project at Mast Way Elementary, and began improvement work at Moharimet Elementary School today.

Mast Way Elementary School Building Project

In Spring 2018, construction began on an addition and renovation at Mast Way Elementary. The project included a major security upgrade in the form of a vestibule in the entryway of the building, creating better visibility for office staff greeting visitors.  The vestibule also has double locking doors.

To better accommodate an increased student population, Mast Way also added three new classrooms and a dedicated music room. Since the 2015 to 2016 school year, the student population at Mast Way Elementary has risen by 82 students. For years, music classes had been held on the stage in the auditorium of the school, which was never intended to be used as classroom space.

The original Mast Way Elementary School Building was constructed in 1960, and additions were previously completed in 1967 and 1994. 

“Vestibules are key safety features for modern schools, and it has been reassuring for staff, parents and students alike to know that our school is more secure with this new entrance,” said Mast Way Principal Carrie Vaich. “We were also in significant need of new classroom space, and with these new rooms our teachers are able to implement their lessons as intended and better serve their students.”

The main office was also expanded and conference rooms were added during the renovation.

Construction on the project was completed in two stages. The classrooms were completed in November 2018 and the construction on the expanded office finished in January 2019.

The New Hampshire Department of Education provided $547,567 in funding to assist the district in the renovation and addition project, which cost approximately $1.3 million.

Moharimet Elementary School Building Project 

Construction on a renovation project at Moharimet Elementary School began on Monday, April 1, and is projected to be complete at the beginning of the upcoming school year.

Once work is done, Moharimet will be equipped with a similar vestibule at the entrance of the school, which will allow staff to better control entry and make the building significantly safer. Today, the entryway to the school opens into a main hallway. A new conference room and principal’s office will also be built as part of the renovation.

Following the renovation, visitors to the school will also pass by the principal’s office first before reaching a hallway, adding another level of safety to the building.

The project will also feature new landscaping, which will honor and represent the history and culture behind the school’s name. Moharimet was a Sagamore (Chief) in the Durham area approximately 400 years ago, and the hill to the east of the school is also known as Moharimet Hill.

The school will be working in coming months with the Cowasuck Band of the Pennacook-Abenaki people to discuss indigenous plantings, words and symbols of the Pennacook Abenaki to incorporate into concrete work and landscaping.

“This landscaping will honor the Pennacook Abenaki, and the historic tribe from which our school gets its name from,” Moharimet Principal David Goldsmith said. “It’s important and exciting for us to have this opportunity to learn about the history and present day Native American ties to this region and our school.”

The project was approved as part of Oyster River Cooperative School District’s 2019-2020 budget, and also received $100,000 in funding from the New Hampshire Department of Education– Public School and Infrastructure Funds. The project has a budget of $855,000 including the funds from the state.

Stephen Blatt Architects and Bauen Corporation, a construction management company, were selected by the district to work on both the Mast Way and Moharimet Elementary School projects.

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Oyster River Middle and High Schools Offer Students Fresh, Local Milk

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Oyster River Cooperative School District
SAU No. 5
Superintendent James Morse
36 Coe Drive
Durham, NH 03824

For Immediate Release

Friday, Feb. 22, 2019

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Oyster River Middle and High Schools Offer Students Fresh, Local Milk

DURHAM – Superintendent James Morse is pleased to announce that, as of last week, students at Oyster River Middle and High Schools are the first in the state to be drinking local, fresh milk from public school cafeterias.

The two schools transitioned from offering students milk in cartons to milk from Cantoocook Creamery, a local dairy producer in Hopkinton, New Hampshire, on Wednesday, Feb. 13.

The change to providing local milk at the schools was made possible by a partnership between the district’s Child Nutrition Program and the creamery. For the past six years, the Child Nutrition Program has offered local foods to Oyster River students, including apples, beef, fish, root vegetables, greens, tomatoes and squash.

“We have a reputation for buying local and in the past when I looked into local milk there was either none available that was pasteurized and homogenized or the price was much too high,” said Doris Demers, Child Nutrition Director for Oyster River Cooperative School District. “I really didn’t think it would ever be possible. Contoocook’s price came in much lower than I expected and very close to our state bid price. I was thrilled to have this option become a reality.”

National School Lunch and Breakfast program regulations mandate that the fat content in flavored milk sold in cafeterias cannot be above one percent. Contoocook originally only offered flavored whole milk, which is usually four percent milk-fat, but produced a one percent low-fat milk to meet the needs of Oyster River Middle and High Schools.

Contoocook Creamery also donated a refrigerated dispenser to each school’s cafeteria so that students can pour their own eight ounce cups of milk. The Child Nutrition Program also purchased reusable cups and dishwasher racks for the milk, as the cafeterias previously offered milk in cartons and didn’t have cups available. In all, the cups and dishwasher racks cost the Child Nutrition Program $572.

“Students seem to really enjoy having access to fresh, local milk at school, and it’s been wonderful to see their excitement over a healthier alternative that supports a local business,” Demers said. “Exposing our students to healthier lifestyle choices and supporting good habits is at the heart of everything we do through the Child Nutrition Program.”

For now, Oyster River Cooperative School District elementary schools will continue to serve their milk in cartons.

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